Studies on the fishery and culture prospects of mud crabs (genus Scylla de Haan) along the Kerala coast

Anil, M K
(1997)
Studies on the fishery and culture prospects of mud crabs (genus Scylla de Haan) along the Kerala coast.
["eprint_fieldopt_thesis_type_phd" not defined] thesis, Cochin University of Science and Technology.

Abstract

Fish and fisheries make an important contribution to the world's food supply,
and are a source of income for over 100 million people who depend directly or
indirectly on fisheries for their livelihood (Anon., 1996a). The global fish production
has risen to about 100 million metric tons (Anon., 1995) and this is regarded
as being at or dose to the maximum biological limit. Projected population
growth over the next 10-15 years implies an increase in global demand of about 20
million metric tons if per capita consumption remains steady. Asia is believed
to face the greatest gap between supply and demand. To satisfy the demand will
require improving the management of fisheries, making better use of the catch
and increasing production through aquaculture.
India is one of the leading fish producing countries in the world and an
important supplier of fishery products in the international market. The country's
prominence in the world market is mainly through the export of crustacean products
which remained the back bone of the fishery industry for nearly half a century.
Among the seafood items exported from the country, crustaceans comprising
of prawns, lobsters and crabs accounted for about 45% in terms of weight and
70% in terms of value of the total export earnings of Rs. 35,000 million from the
marine products during the year 1995-96 (Anon.,1996b, 1997).
Among crustaceans, crabs occupy the third rank, the first and second positions
being given to prawns and lobsters on account of their demand in the overseas
market. According to Suseelan (1996 b) an average of about 25000 t of crabs
are exploited annually from the marine sector, of which over 50% is landed along
the Gujarat and Tamil Nadu coasts. Being a commodity of lesser export value in
the processed form, no commercial operation is directed towards this resource
in a big way in the country. However, with the mordernisation of fishing methods,
crabs are increasingly landed as bycatches of shrimp trawlers and other fishing
units throughout the country.